Very Rare: fewer than 100,000 minted. Sells occasionally: 8 verified sales in the last 12 months.
1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions Silver Proof (1997)
Circulating version: 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II – English Lions
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1997 |
| Denomination | 1 Pound |
| Face value | £1 |
| Mintage | 20,137 |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Round Pound Series |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | 2017 |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 9.500g · 0.2825 t oz |
| Diameter | 22.5mm |
| Thickness | 3.15mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Third crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II right, wearing the George IV State Diadem, legend around
Three lions passant guardant above denomination
Silver Proof £1 market value
Find this on eBay
AffiliateSilver Proof £1 price history
Daily limit reachedSilver Proof £1 value by grade
Realised auction prices · ⭐ Pro Expand rows for individual sale records| Grade | Latest | Median | 30d Δ | All-time range | Sales (1yr) | Total sales | Last sale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDC | £24.00 🔒 eBay | £24.00 (1) | – | £24.00 – £24.00 | 1 | 1 | 29-09-2026 | |
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| PR-65 | £50.00 🔒 eBay | £29.95 | – | £26.69 – £50.00 | 7 | 7 | 29-09-2026 | |
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About the 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions – Silver Proof
The 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions – Silver Proof is a collector 1 pound coin in the Round Pound series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 9.5g and measures 22.5mm across. Reverse design: Three lions passant guardant above denomination.
20,137 were struck. It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 2017), so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions – Silver Proof worth?
Verified sold prices for the 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions – Silver Proof run from £24.00 to £29.95 across 2 grades, taking the median for each grade. Condition makes the difference, so check the grade table above before pricing one. Its silver content is worth about £11.28 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
How is the 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions – Silver Proof different from the circulating coin?
This is a collector version of the 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II – English Lions, not the coin found in change. It is struck in 92.5% silver rather than nickel.
How do I identify the 1997 1 Pound - Elizabeth II English Lions – Silver Proof?
Check the weight 9.5g and diameter 22.5mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
This is a collector version of the 1 Pound - Elizabeth II – English Lions. The history below is that coin's; the mintage, varieties and collecting notes on its page do not apply to this strike.
The 1997 pound was England's coin in the heraldic series, the second cycle of round £1 designs. The first cycle had used plants, and the English pounds of 1987 and 1992 showed an oak tree. From 1994 the nations were given heraldic emblems instead, ending with England in 1997.
The Royal Mint's figures give 57,117,450 struck for circulation, the 16th highest of the 41 round £1 entries. Of the four heraldic pounds issued from 1994 to 1997 only the 1996 Celtic Cross, at 89,886,000, had a larger issue. It was also the last round pound to carry Raphael Maklouf's portrait of the Queen, which gave way to Ian Rank-Broadley's in 1998.
Round pounds were replaced by the 12-sided £1 from 28 March 2017 and lost their legal tender status at midnight on 15 October 2017.
The reverse, by Norman Sillman, shows three lions passant guardant, representing England. The Royal Mint says the three lions date back to Richard the Lionheart, king from 1189 to 1199, who used three golden lions on a scarlet background as a symbol of the English throne.
It completed Sillman's set of four national designs. He also designed the 1986 Commonwealth Games £2, but a 2011 newspaper profile said he was best known in the UK for his pounds. Asked whether he was proud of them, he said: "It is just a part of what one does; although I suppose you could say it was a dream job, as it combined a number of my interests."
The milled edge reads DECUS ET TUTAMEN, the Latin inscription shared with the oak tree pounds and translated as "an ornament and safeguard".
Sources
- UK coin mintage figures (data file), The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- One Pound Coin Designs and Specifications, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- 1997 Elizabeth II 'Three Lions, Representing England' £1 Coin, The Royal Mint (read 9 Oct 2026)
- 1997 One Pound, Check Your Change (read 9 Oct 2026)
- Article highlights Royal Mint coin sculptor Norman Sillman (The E-Sylum, volume 14, number 44, 23 October 2011, excerpting the Diss Express), Numismatic Bibliomania Society (read 9 Oct 2026)
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